Hockey history has its fair share of strange advertisements, although most of those come from spots for local businesses. That being said, national-level ones can get a little weird too, from Ryan Miller’s “Yo Mamma” ads for Amp energy drinks to the memorable Bud Ice penguin campaigns. Even with those clips in mind, it might be safe to say that CCM’s ads featuring Alex Ovechkin’s disembodied head are the strangest commercials to feature an NHL star.

In case you need a refresher, the two most prominent commercials featured Ovechkin’s head popping up in two locations: a high school kid’s locker and a bowling ball bag. In the first, he praised a young man for picking up the brand’s ice skates. In the second, he scolded the kid for going bowling, noting that the activity won’t improve his hockey performance. You can find video clips of both of these strange and awesome commercials at the bottom of this post.

It seems like Ovechkin has had his occasional struggles with his sticks and other equipment, something El-Bashir elaborates upon in the story.

It’s been well documented over the years that Ovechkin wasn’t always happy with the sticks CCM has provided for his use. During my time covering the Caps, I recall him occasionally experimenting with sticks from other manufacturers, and sometimes attempting to hide the fact by spray painting over the logo. I am told, though, that he used CCM sticks exclusively from the end of the 2009-10 season through the end of last season.

This is another example that on-ice equipment might be the one thing that professional athletes should think long and hard about before they actually endorse it, even if it’s the most functional thing a player could be paid to promote. It’s easy to gulp down a little bit of Gatorade (if that’s even Gatorade) in a commercial or pose beside some Cadillac for a local ad even if your only interest in the product is to get paid for giving the thumbs up, but if equipment just doesn’t feel right, that can affect your ability to excel on the ice. One might respond that it’s “all in their heads,” but considering the superstitious nature of many sports stars, that’s not to be taken lightly.

Abrutyn declined to say which companies Ovechkin is considering for his next endorsement deal. But, outside of CCM and its chief rivals, Bauer and Easton, there aren’t too many options when it comes to high-end hockey equipment.

I imagine we’ll hear something prior to the start of training camp and I bet it will be worth a lot of coin.